Transcript Food Myths - Generation FIT

Dairy products are fattening and
unhealthy

Low-fat and fat-free dairy vs. whole-milk dairy products

Just as much vitamins and protein but lower in fat and calories

Dairy products have many nutrients your body needs
 Protein, Calcium, and Vitamin D

Recommendation = 3 cups/day of fat-free/low-fat milk or equivalent
milk products.

If you cannot digest lactose
 soy-based beverage or tofu; canned salmon; dark leafy greens
like collards or kale
 Vitamin D: soy-based beverage or cereal
Caffeine Is Bad for You



Myth: increases your risk for breast cancer
 no link between coffee and breast cancer or benign breast
lumps
Myth: weakens your bones
 If diet contains enough Calcium & other bone-building
minerals, coffee consumption has little to no long-term effect
Myth: Caffeine is bad for your heart
 unfiltered coffee elevates cholesterol
 coffee drinkers are no more likely to develop heart disease
than non-coffee drinkers
 consumption appears to slightly reduce stroke risk
 temporarily increases your heart rate but does not cause
arrhythmia.
Organic foods are more nutritious
than conventional

If you buy organic because you believe that
sustainable farming supports the health of the soil, the
work of small farmers, or the well-being of livestock,
that’s all good.

Organic is not inherently more nutritious


No significant nutritional difference
Wash conventional produce carefully
Researchers at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Brown Sugar is better than White
Sugar

The brown sugar sold at grocery stores is actually
white granulated sugar with added molasses

Unless you eat a gigantic portion of brown sugar
every day, the mineral content difference between
brown sugar and white sugar is absolutely
insignificant
High-protein/lowCarb diets are healthy lose weight

The long-term health effects of these diets are unknown

Eating fewer than 130 g carbohydrate/d can  buildup of
ketones in your blood

But getting most of your daily calories from high-protein foods
is not a balanced eating plan

You may be eating too few fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
can  constipation due to lack of dietary fiber

May also make you feel nauseous, tired, and weak
I can lose weight while eating
whatever I want

To lose weight, you need to use more calories than
you eat

It is possible to eat any kind of food you want and
lose weight


need to limit the number of calories you eat every day
and/or increase your daily physical activity
Portion control is the key
Skipping meals can help lose weight

Many people think that by skipping a meal, they will
be eating less food and therefore lose weight

You then tend to overeat at the next meal

Then you usually have a higher total caloric intake
than if you just ate more frequently throughout the
day
Low-fat or fat-free means no calories

often lower in calories but may contain added sugar,
flour, or starch thickeners to improve flavor and
texture

Read the Nutrition Facts on a food package to find out
how many calories are in a serving.

Check the serving size too—it may be less than you are used
to eating.
Fast foods should not eat them when
dieting.

Fast foods can be part of a healthy weight-loss program with a
little bit of know-how.






Avoid supersized combo meals, or split one with a friend
Sip on water or fat-free milk instead of soda
Choose salads and grilled foods, like a grilled chicken breast sandwich or
small hamburger
Try a “fresco” taco (with salsa instead of cheese or sauce)
Fried foods- order them only once in a while, order a small portion, or
split an order with a friend
use only small amounts of high-fat, high-calorie toppings, like regular
mayonnaise, salad dressings, bacon, and cheese
Natural or herbal weight-loss
products are safe & effective

claims to be “natural” or “herbal” is not necessarily
safe

not usually scientifically tested to prove that they are
safe or that they work


For example, ephedra has been shown to caused serious
health problems and even death
Tip: Talk with your health care provider before using
any weight-loss product
Lifting weights is not good to do if
you want to lose weight

strengthening activities can help you maintain or lose
weight


builds muscle  burns more calories than body fat
strengthening activities 2 or 3 d/wk won’t “bulk you up.”

There are other activities to build muscle besides
lifting weights

strength training = stronger bones
Eating red meat makes it harder to
lose weight

Eat lean meat in small amounts

Red meat, pork, chicken, and fish contain some
cholesterol and saturated fat


They also contain healthy nutrients like protein, iron, and
zinc
Three ounces = a deck of cards
Avoid seafood and eggs to lower
blood cholesterol

dietary cholesterol has little effect on blood
cholesterol in most people

Saturated fats and trans fatty acids are the most
important factors that raise blood cholesterol


Saturated fats- meat products that are marbled with fat and
packaged foods
trans fatty acids- packaged snack foods, deep-fried foods or
firm margarine containing hydrogenated oil
Brown Eggs are more nutritious
than White Eggs

eggshell color has nothing to do with the quality,
flavor, nutritive value, cooking characteristics, or
shell thickness of an egg

depends upon the breed of the hen


white shelled eggs - hens with white feathers and white ear
lobes
brown shelled eggs - hens with red feathers and red ear
lobes
** Egg Nutrition Council
All Fats are bad

We all need fat!


aids nutrient absorption and nerve transmission
help to maintain cell membrane integrity

If consumed in excessive amounts  can contribute
to weight gain, heart disease and certain types of
cancers

Not all fats are created equal


Some fats can actually help promote good health
The Key is to replace bad fats with good fats
Avoid nuts as they are fattening

nuts are quite calorically dense


Fifteen cashews = 180 calories
high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats as well
as plant sterols

These have been shown to lower LDL cholesterol

tough not to overeat

the best approach is to eat them in replacement of
foods high in saturated fats
Give credit where credit is due:
http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/myths.htm
 http://www.healthcastle.com/nutrition-myths.shtml
 http://www.cookinglight.com/eating-smart/nutrition101/nutrition-myths-facts00412000067116/page21.html
